September 2015: 60 months (5 years old)

Dear Patrick,

• The evening of 9/3, you said to me, "Mom, when I was a little baby you use to sing to me." And I replied, “Yes, and I'll sing to you right now if u want.” So as we're walking hand-in-hand to your bedroom, I sang very quickly and simply the first stanza of You Are My Sunshine. I heard you sniffle a little and thought it was your runny nose, which you seemed to of picked up earlier that day. But you said in this very tiny voice as you brought both hands to your eyes (and letting go of my hand), "Oh Mom, that made me cry." I almost burst into tears myself. I crouched down next to you so that you could sit on my leg and I hugged you. “Isn’t it wonderful to be full of so much love,” I said back to you. It really is.
• We got a new front door on 9/4. (Not sure if these little details will matter to you later in life but I’m including just in case.)
• Pop was in town on 9/8 to watch you earn a yellow tab on your karate belt. Then we all came home and had steaks to celebrate.
• At 6:30am on Wednesday 9/9 Cooper stood in the middle of the kitchen and barked - loudly, for no reason, like the most horrible alarm clock we’ve ever heard. And then you came running out of your room and announced that you accidentally wet the bed. So it was that kinda day.
• BB-8, the newest droid family member, joined our family thanks to Michael on 9/16 when we let you open your birthday present early.
• Coming home from karate, instrumental music was playing on the radio. I said to you that the song reminded me of an owl flying at night. (I thought that might help you thinking creatively) and then I asked you over my shoulder, “what does it remind you of?” You said very quickly, "It reminds me of my very old grandfather...dying."
• When you play pretend, you give others involved an actual verbal script to follow. It is step by step and you are very clear about who says what.
• Sonny and Katie came into town on 9/23 and stayed through your birthday weekend. There were good meals, wresting, the viewing of the REAL Star Wars movie episode IV and a lot of bubble gum. (How could your aunts and uncles not get you a gumball machine after you made such a great case on video!)
• On Sunday 9/27, you played the harmonica while your father and Sonny played the guitar and piano. And at one point you broke into song, which you made up on the spot, and your voice was so sweet and lovely; a family band in the making!
• We celebrated your 5th birthday in Star Wars style at the house. Despite the rain, we had a “sink the death star” (corn-hole) game, blast the dark side with water-guns, light saber bubble fights, tents, balloons, life size Vader and Luke Skywalker cut-outs, Jedi dress up photo corner in robes Omi sewed, drinks, snacks, a special Vader plate, and the entire solar system accurately hung in the dining room by Aunt Katie.  It was a really fun time.
• Our present to you on your 5th birthday was a blue Trek bike, which you’ve fallen off once (despite training wheels). Luckily we had light saber band-aids on hand. The “force” fixes so much.
• You have such a great imagination and I love the cadence of your speech. “Mom, you know what?” you will start, and then you will proceed to talk about the world as you know it; the stories you see on TV or read in books and the images that must run through that very creative head of yours...it’s really magical. There is no way to capture it or repeat it. One just needs to drive in a car with you and listen.